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Looking for band saw to get started on shaping curved wood or just resaw more efficiently by replacing that jigsaw?
Or maybe you’re just trying to find a better, more powerful band saw to get deeper cuts. Whichever the case, you’ve come to the right place.
While discussing each of these tools, we have taken into consideration a number of factors. Each of these plays a significant role in determining how good the band saw is for a certain task.
In case this is your first band saw, and you don’t know what to look for, don’t hesitate to see the list of the factors, just below the reviews.
Why Do I Really Need a Bandsaw?
Band saws are arguably the handiest tool when it comes to woodworking and metalworking. Professional or not, it makes life easy when you want to cut curves. Even with thick lumber, a band saw can perform nicely. But it’s not a must-have tool unless you have certain uses for it.
The most common uses of a band saw are:
Band saws are usually the better choice if you want to cut through thick pieces of wood. If you work with one inch thick pieces of wood, then you won’t need a band saw. Only if you have pieces with more than 3 inches thickness, that’s where band saws come in.
Table saws can’t cut through pieces that have more than 3½ inches of thickness. So, if you have to cut pieces thicker than 3½ inches, then you must use a band saw.
Band saw saves energy and a secondary tool. So, you don’t really need it but you also really need it at times.
How Long Should a Bandsaw Blade Last?
There’s no absolute answer to this as the lifespan of a hand saw blade can vary for different usages. You need to consider many variables, and depending on the blades, it can last years or 6 months or less.
The most important variables can be what you’re cutting with it, the machine condition, the duration of cutting, and the angle you’re applying during cutting. All of these have a say on how long the blade of your band saw will last.
So, you can guess that longevity will be different for each user as everyone has their own style of cutting.
If you sharpen the blade now and then, you’ll get a much longer service out of it. To get a long service, do these steps below regularly.
One notable point is that the longer the saw, the longer they last. This is for a simple fact that shorter blades perform more work per tooth. Tooth density is also an important variable.
Top 10 Band Saw Under $500 Review in 2021
Here we have gathered the best in the market. They are both more powerful and more efficient.
Each of the band saw also has their own share of special features, so keeping in mind all of those along with their specs, let’s take a look at what we have.
Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw With Fence, 10-Inch
With a solid steel design along with a cast iron table, this band saw from Rikon is both durable and spacious to allow you to work as efficiently as possible.
The table measures 13-3/4-Inch By 12-1/2-Inch, which is rare for a band saw of this size and thus allows you to work easily without having to mount it separately.
Moreover, the tool also comes with a 2-Inch rip fence, which can help you make easy, straight, and precise cuts.
And with dimensions of 35.5 x 18 x 13 inches, the band saw is a perfect fit for anyone who doesn’t have much space in their garage or workplace. And weighing just 76 pounds, it is easy to transport as well.
Now in terms of power, we have a 1/3 HP motor providing ample power for cutting bowl and pen blanks.
And along with the 10” throat and a 4-5/8 inch resaw capacity, this is one of the most suitable band saws for woodworkers and hobbyists that do not require large capacity and or power for their projects.
Furthermore, it comes with an easily operable beveling option to tilt the table from 0° up to a 45° angle. This allows you to easily make angled cuts to make accurate and precise shapes out of most material.
On the other hand, a micro-adjustable guidepost allows you to raise and lower the guide assembly according to your own needs, all through turning a handle.
Finally, a tension knob to control the tension in the large blade makes the blades more durable while also allowing you to easily remove the blades when needed.
The band saw even comes with a 2-1/2″ dust port for shop vacuum hookup as well as a safety paddle on/off switch to give you greater control over the tool.
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Related Review: Bandsaw Under 1000 Dollars.
Grizzly Industrial G0803Z
Spacious or rather large enough to allow you to work easily without much hassle! This company brings you a band saw powered by a motor with 1/3 HP and 120V at 2.8A at a single phase.
Combined with 62-Inch (1/8-to 3/8-inches wide), this gives you a superior cutting performance, with greater efficiency.
Adding to that, the band saw has a 9-inch cutting throat allowing a maximum 3-5/8” cutting capacity.
This lower power with a blade speed of 2460 FPM is considerable given that the band saw has also been designed to be portable.
Portable in the sense that it weighs only 42 pounds and has a height of 13” from base to the table, and table size of 12” x 12” x 5/8”. This is both small enough to be portable and large enough to be spacious.
And while this is true enough, the band saw also has an easy process to change and replace blades.
This is made possible through adjusting the tension and tracking of the blade, both of which also play a part in improving cut precision and durability.
On top of that, the tool comes with a small footprint and a top handle, which make moving it around between your workspace easier than ever.
Now moving onto further extra features, the table comes with a beveling option, allowing you to tilt it from 0° to 45° to make angled cuts with extreme ease.
With adjustable laser guidance and a chip blower and work light, you can easily work with superior visibility.
On the other hand, an extruded Aluminum rip fence with a camlock handle allows you to make accurate straight cuts, adjusting the fence to your needs.
Finally, with a 2” dust port and wheels with brushes, the tool has great alignment and is always clear of dust build-up. And combined with the ball-bearing blade guides, you get both durability and accuracy in your band saw.
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Makita XBP02Z
From Makita’s cordless tool line-up, we have an extremely lightweight and compact band saw. It weighs only 14.3 pounds and measures to be 14 x 22.4 x 10.7 inches in size.
And so, combined with the fast charging feature of the Makita 18V LXT battery, we have one of the most portable band saws ever.
It comes with a high torque motor that features a 6-setting variable speed control dial that delivers a no-load speed of 275-530 ft/min.
This along with a 44-7/8” blade, makes the band saw ideal for cutting through multiple materials and gives it a maximum cut capacity of 4-3/4”.
With a 20-5/8” long and ergonomic design, the band saw also reduces operator fatigue. Combined with the LED light illuminating the workspace, this makes the work more precise and efficient.
Moreover, the comfortable, rubberized soft grip and the adjustable stopper plate makes the work more accurate while also reducing damage to the material.
Moving on to durability, the band saw features a protection circuit that comes with a built-in alert light providing warning against over-torque in the motor.
And to add to that, a thick protective rubber bumper is attached to the tool to prevent any form of damages.
Finally, the band saw also comes with a hanging hook to secure the tool when not in use. And to help out with serviceability, the tool comes with externally accessible brushes as well as onboard wrench storage for quick and easy stopper plate adjustment.
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DEWALT (DCS371P1)
Making sure you never get too tired, this band saw from DEWALT comes with a centered handle position along with an ergonomic design.
This provides the band saw with superior balance while allowing you to make more accurate cuts. And all the while keeping user fatigue to a minimum.
Moreover, weighing just 9.4 pounds and having dimensions of 9.4 x 16.2 x 12.4 inches, the band saw is extremely lightweight and compact.
This, combined with the fact that the tool completely operates on a battery, makes it one of the best portable band saws.
Bringing a moderate amount of power, the band saw operates at a maximum of 20V. The motor taking in power moves the blades at a speed of 570 FPM giving the band saw a cut capacity of 2-1/2”.
This allows you to cut up to 2” of an SCH 40 pipe as well as materials such as conduit, threaded rod, angle iron, and Unistrut.
Now for the blade itself, the band saw is able to handle blades of length 32-7/8” while also increasing their life.
This is thanks to the blade tracking adjustment and the dual bearing blade guide rollers. They also help maintain the alignment of the blades while making sure they don’t require too frequent maintenance.
Finally, the band saw also comes with an LED work light as well as an integrated hang hook. The LED illuminates the dark surfaces with a 20-second delay, allowing you to get accurate cuts in with precision. And the hanging hook allows for easy storage without any risk of damage to the blades.
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WEN 3970T
Perfectly capable of being operated in either vertical or horizontal positions, this band saw from WEN comes with a beveling vise. This provides you with perfect flexibility to make precise and accurate angled cuts ranging from 0° to 60°.
And to make it even better, the band saw comes with an automatic shutdown mechanism. This means that once you’re done with a cut, the band saw will shut down automatically, preventing both injuries as well as power loss.
As for the capability of the saw itself, it holds a 4-Inch by 6-Inch cutting capacity. Thus, allowing you to easily work through brass, aluminum, copper, steel, and more.
Moreover, the band saw features an adjustable blade speed, allowing you to vary it from 80, 120, or 200 feet per minute for accommodating a variety of materials. The motor itself is powered by 4.6 Amperes while accommodating a 64-1/2 x 1/2-Inch blade.
Furthermore, ball-bearing blade guides allow for greater durability and more reliable operation.
And also, featuring onboard blade tension adjustment and tilt knobs, you can easily make adjustments to meet your needs.
The tension adjustment also allows for easier blade replacement. Finally, the band saw weighs a heavy 123.2 pounds with dimensions of 16.5 x 36 x 38-inches.
This makes it hard it hard to move around, but it is acceptable considering the fact that it is pretty much designed to be a floor-standing band saw. And you also get a workpiece for making uniform cuts.
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Milwaukee, 2729-20
Weighing just 13.64 pounds and also being cordless, this device is one of the high-quality band saws under 500.
It operates completely on an 18V battery, which has a capacity of 40Ah and is included in the package. And measuring to be 21-inches in length, this device is extremely lightweight and compact.
This makes it a bit heavier than usual from portable band saws, but it makes up for this by providing you with effortless cuts.
How so may you ask? Well, let’s find out. On top of being so portable, the band saw also comes with great power.
It operates at 5 different speeds with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 380 surface feet per minute. This allows you to easily adapt to a variety of different materials while also retaining a quality cut.
Furthermore, the cut itself is done by a blade of the length of 44-7/8 Inches that gives the band saw a cut capacity of 5 x 5 Inches.
The rectangle and round capacity are both equal and allow you to get in more precise cuts and cut a greater number of pieces at a single time.
Finally, the tool comes with a handle type multi-grip. This is designed to be a T-handle and allows you to adjust to different needs and not harm yourself in the process.
As a plus point, it also brings you a battery pack replacement making sure you don’t go running to the store if one ends up wearing out.
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WEN 3975T
As durable as any tool can get, this band saw from WEN comes with a ball bearing blade guides that allow the blades to survive longer while also retaining a greater quality of cutting.
Above that, the band saw also comes with a number of other features that allow you to cut more precisely and accurately.
Tilt knobs to adjust the blade tension as well as the blade tilt allow you to adapt to a plethora of materials, making the band saw extremely flexible.
And although we don’t mean that literally, the fact that an onboard vise gives you a better command over your work-piece is literally true.
Combining that with the option of a beveling blade allows you to precisely make angled cuts through a range of 0 to 60 degrees.
However, it weighs a heavy 54.8 pounds with dimensions of 29.5 x 18.8 x 15.9-inches. This prevents it from being easily movable, but it is actually pretty compact.
That is considering the fact that it is designed to be a benchtop band saw and isn’t really made to be portable.
Moreover, it makes up for this by an astounding amount of power. It allows you to easily cut through 24 square-inches of steel in a single pass-over of the blade with a cut capacity of up to 5 x 4-7/8-inches.
Finally, the band saw even comes with a variable speed adjustment. This allows you to easily change the speed of the blade rotation in the range of anywhere from 125 to 260 feet-per-minute adapting to the needs of a number of different materials.
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DEWALT DCS371B
DEWALT brings you a band saw with blades having Rc 65-67 tooth hardness along with matrix II high-speed steel edges. These blades are of 24 TPI and measure to be 32-7/8” x 0.020”. This makes them extremely resistant to both heat and wear.
Moreover, the blades have an 8% cobalt content giving them a greater wear resistance and also making them more durable. Adding to that, an alloy steel backer is used to reduce the fatigue you would have to experience while using it.
With these blades, the band saw brings a cut capacity of 2-1/2-Inches allowing you to cut through up to 2-Inches of an SCH 40 pipe.
This is moderately low for a band saw, but it does the job for a number of uses. However, to make up for that, the device is completely cordless and operates on a battery.
A premium XR 5.0-Ampere hour lithium-ion battery powers the motor with a nominal voltage of 18V. And to make it even better, DEWALT packs in two of these batteries into the package, each having no memory and virtually no self-discharge.
Finally, the band saw comes with dual bearing blade guide rollers, which greatly extend the lifespan of the blades.
Additionally, the option to adjust the blade tracking allows you to keep the blades aligned. This combined with the LED work-light with a 20-second delay, allows you to achieve precise and accurate cuts.
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Eastwood Benchtop Metal Aluminum Cutting Bandsaw
Eastwood brings you a benchtop band saw weighing just around 47 pounds. This makes it extremely lightweight for a benchtop model and thus making it extremely easy to move around your workspace.
It also results in more available space on the table or bench where you will place the band saw. Moving to throat capacity, the band saw is able to handle 3.25 Inches of a material.
The width capacity on it is 4.5-Inches, giving it quite a bit range of resawing and cutting capability. On the other hand, a miter allows you to make perfect angled cuts ranging from 45° to 90°.
Moreover, the band saw is powered by a 120 V alternating current with a power of 1000 Watts. This gives it enough power to rotate the blades at speeds ranging from 100 – 260 Ft/min or 30 – 80 M/min.
Thus, allowing it to get fast and accurate cuts on a plethora of materials, adapting to different speeds when needed.
Furthermore, the tool comes with a pistol grip handle and a speed control trigger. The trigger allows you to easily vary the blade speed while the grip comes with its own share of benefits.
It allows you to easily adjust your hand position and get in precise and accurate cuts with great flexibility.
Finally, although it doesn’t come with any blade tracking or bearing blade guides, it does come in a variety of colors.
Not having the adjustments limit the durability of the blades, but as a way of making compensation, you get to choose a color to cover up the steel frame.
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Makita XBP02TX
Powered by two 18V lithium-ion 5.0-Ampere battery this band saw from Makita, brings you a great number of features.
The batteries completely charge up at under 45 minutes and allowing you to use it without the limitations of a cord with little to no time sitting on the charger.
Above that, the batteries come equipped with the Star Protection Technology, allowing you to do twice the work on a single run. The system allows the battery and the tool to exchange data in real-time.
And thus, making it possible for you to keep an eye on the conditions to prevent overloading, over-discharging, or over-heating.
Moreover, it weighs just 14.3-pounds with dimensions of 13.8 x 22.8 x 12.4-inches. This, along with the fact that it comes with a tool bag, makes it extremely lightweight, compact, and, most importantly, portable.
Now moving on-to the strength and capability of the band saw as a whole, it comes with a high torque motor alongside a 6-setting variable speed control dial.
This allows you to vary the speed of rotation of the blades through a range of 275-530 feet/min, adapting to whatever material you’re cutting.
Furthermore, the device has a compact and ergonomic design measuring to be only 20-5/8-inches long.
This combined with the soft rubberized grip gives you increased comfort on the job and allows more flexibility. All the while also making keeping user fatigue to the least.
Finally, although it does not come with ball bearing blade guides, it does come with a protective bumper along with a hanging hook.
Combined with the adjustable foot, they allow for a certain extent of durability. And with that adjustability, you also get a built-in LED light, allowing you to illuminate the work and cut precisely.
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What to Look for in a Band Saw Under 500?
When you’re out there looking for a band, saw to buy, that too under this price range, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind.
And so, under this section, we look at the factors that matter, the factors that determine how good a band saw really is for under $500.
The Type of Band Saw
To simplify what we mean by the type of band saws, let’s divide them into two categories. They are the ones that are portable, and the ones that stay fixed in your workplace. Or more specifically, benchtop models or floor-standing, cabinet models.
Benchtop
For under 500, we’re looking at powerful benchtop band saws that are both lightweight and efficient. So look for something that allows you to move it around easily while also making sure that it provides a deep enough cut.
Floor-Standing
On the other hand, for the floor-standing models, you should look for something that provides strong enough power to make the deep and precise cuts you want, along with a bunch of other features. As for the weight, that’s something that really doesn’t factor in here, for, after all, it’s a “cabinet.”
Durability
Some of the best bands saw under $500 are also some of the most durable. The blades in them can withstand numerous hours of work on a variety of materials.
While as for the frame of the band saw it should be made of steel or some other mixture of metal to prevent damage as well as rust.
You should also look for features such as dual ball bearing blade guides or a simple blade tracking adjustment. They make sure that the blades take in as less damage as possible, while also making sure they get in precise and accurate cuts.
Power of the Band Saw
How deep and how quickly the band saw cuts really depends on how powerful your band saw is. Or, more specifically, how powerful the motor is.
The power of the motor is measured in terms of HP (horsepower) or SFPM (surface feet-per-minute). This measures the speed at which the blades rotate, and the higher it is, the deeper of a cut capacity you have.
So, for under 500$, you can either get yourself a moderately powered portable band saw or even a pretty strong floor-standing band saw.
Whichever it is, make sure to get yourself a band saw with enough power to handle the task you wish to carry out with it. And also, strong enough to cut through certain materials.
Work Table
This is specifically for floor-standing models allowing you to cut through numerous materials with ease and precision. But what do you look for specifically in a work table?
They must be made of a certain mixture of metal to be both durable enough to withstand heavy enough loads and also be rust-preventing.
So look for something made of cast iron, steel, or aluminum to make sure you don’t have to maintain it frequently.
As for a few extra features that are mostly associated with the work table, we have fences, miters as well as beveling options.
While the fence or workpiece allows you to make precise uniform cuts, the miter and beveling option allows you to make angled cuts. This means more accuracy while also having greater flexibility.
Additional Features
Finally, let’s look at a couple of equipment that you get with certain band saws. Although they are not necessarily a must, they do provide a certain level of comfort and flexibility.
LED Work light
This piece of light attached to the device brightens up the work surface, allowing you to see more clearly and make more precise cuts. Some even bring a guideline to allow you to make cuts with greater ease.
Variable Speed Options
To enable you to adapt to a variety of materials, certain band saws come with the option of varying the speed of the blades through a certain range. So in case you’re looking to cut a plethora of different types of materials having this is a great help.
Integrated Hanging Hook
Certain band saws come with a hook to allow you to put it away easily just by hanging it on the wall. This also prevents damage to the blades by placing it on the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a number of reasons why your band saw blade might not be moving. So, the moment you notice that even though the motor in the saw is running, the blade isn’t moving, check these things.
One: If the blade isn’t tight enough, adjust the tension to set it right.
Two: Make sure that the drive belt in the motor isn’t damaged.
When the blade isn’t cutting fast enough, it means either one of these things. Either the
the blade isn’t sharp enough, or it may not have been installed correctly.
If it actually is dull, then you obviously need to change the blade, otherwise, check that the blade is in the right orientation and adjust the tension.
Yes, it is. Simply find yourself a table that is suitable for the specific band saw and then simply follow the instructions that are provided to mount the saw onto the table.
If the blade slips when you try to make a cut, it could mean either that the wheel bearings may have worn out or that the blade tension and tracking weren’t right. Find what best suits the specific material and make necessary adjustments.
You can use it to make freehand cuts, making curved cuts wherever necessary, and also to resaw at times.
Final Words
Now that you know some of the good band saws under 500 and what to look for in them, let’s go and find the one that suits you the best. We hope that out article can help you make a better decision.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandsaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XPK9xJyEPs
https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/how-to-use-a-bandsaw-essential-bandsaw-tips-tricks/
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/beginner-band-saw-tips-3536531